POLITICS >Greek FM Turkish PM’s friend

Newly appointed Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos enters the room for the delivery and reception ceremony at the ministry in Athens, Greece, 22 June 2012. EPA/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras formed his Cabinet on June 21, appointing Dimitris Avramopoulos, a friend of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as the new foreign minister.

Erdoğan’s friendship with Avramopoulos goes back to the latter’s time as Athens mayor (1994-2002), according to daily Hürriyet. Avramopoulos tried to visit Erdoğan in prison at that time, but could not get authorization. Erdoğan was sentenced to a prison term because of a poem he recited on 1997 in a public address. Avramopoulos is a keen admirer of Istanbul. “Erdoğan is a very good friend of mine. I believe in the convergence of Greek and Turkish societies,” he was quoted as saying by the daily in his election tour to Western Thrace.